Swags Again

Don't reckon you can go past a good quality 10' x 12' canvas tarp, Garry.

Simple, no zips to stuff up and you can configure them to suit the weather and/or the season. Have a couple of RM Williams bush rugs which make it very warm, assisted by a cotton blanket and some old timer blankets. Only got a 1" mattress, but supplement it these days with a self inflating mattress.

That's all I've ever used in over 50 years........though must admit I haven't used it much in the past 18 months. Still got some of the original blankets. They look like mosquito nets now. :-)

Bob

Mate, check out Darchie.
Been around since donkey years and still going strong it is a proven brand amongst a confusing minefield of brands and one of the originals amongst the drovers and snowy regions.

G'day Garry

I have been using a "DB" swag for nearly 30 years all over Australia and love it !
( I have 5 swags of all types and designs but this is my favourite )

It is a very simple and easy to use swag. You can tie it up to a tree, a bull bar, a shovel, a tow bar etc if you want a bit of head room. Or you can just roll it out and lay it on the ground or in the back of your ute etc and it's then just a bed - no need to zip it up.

I have a 30mm high density mattress on the bottom with a softer 50mm one on top of that. I use an opened sleeping bag for a sheet ( satin side up ) and have a high quality single bed woollen doona to keep me warm. If need be I can zip up the sleeping bag and get in that if things get too cold but I have yet to do that even in the high country sleeping in the snow. I find the sleeping bags too restrictive so the doona is great. It's a very comfortable set up and great to sleep in.

It might be too much information but I also keep in my swag - a small led torch - a beanie - a tooth brush - packet of quikeze - packet of panadol - some toilet paper in a zip lok bag - spare pair of jox - a condom in case I get lucky and a small pocket knife in case my mates cable tie my zips together after I had too many sarsaparillas one night !

Another option you could look at is to go to a canvas company and get one made up to how you want it - size, shape etc etc


Good luck with your decision whatever you get


Cheers

Gazz

Gidday

I'll leave the choice of swag to you but I thoroughly recommend a self inflating mattress on top of the foam if the budget runs to it. Made a world of difference to me.

cheers

If you don't want your head inside the swag a traditional style will work, otherwise you will need good ventilation.
Ultima swags are heavy canvas still, made in nsw, and if you ring and have a chat he will advise you which way to go, then sell you one or make what you agree on. My ultima is 20 y.o. and will be an heirloom.
The very latest insulated inflatable mats are leaps ahead of anything before them. Have a look at a nemo Astro lite 20r, exped synmat etc., I will be upgrading my mountain designs mat to something like that in the near future.
With a foam mattress, bedding and pillow, swags are just too big to stuff about with these days. A little technology doesn't hurt.

Garry,

Don't discount a dome style swag. You don't have to use the hoops.

Our Down Under swags are quite a few years old now but still provide us with great, flexible sleeping in a variety of situations.
We have slept out in the open on the little bit of grassed area at St Helen Gorge Resort.
We have pulled up late at the campground at Ayers Rock and simply rolled out our swags and fitted the hoop at the top and the peg at the bottom.
We have done quite a few trips with just the swags, with the canvas "roof" flap open and looking up at the zillions of stars we can see in the sky.

But for the majority of the time, we use the swag "flat" inside our tent. With an opened out sleeping bag inside as a doona and the comfortable 50mm egg crate foam mattress underneath, we enjoy a comfortable sleeping environment. The canvas over the top just gives a little more cover, or can be laid back over the feet.
The couple of rods that make up the head hoop and the single straight rod used at our feet when fully erected, are stored underneath the mattress at the head end, so they are not lost.

We have even deployed the swags in our living room when guests sleep over, again without the hoop and they have never complained about discomfort.

Thanks for the responses - great stuff.

I will follow up those suggestions and see how I go.

I need to buy a new mattress and bedding so I thought a traditional style swag would serve my needs and provide some flexibility in use.

A basic dome may also be on list the use if it can be used without the hoops.

Cheers

Garry

Jim Allen, made in Melbourne.

I have the single and the double.

Run a Thermarest/Exped with the foam mattress.

http://www.jimallenandson.com/